With Mirth and Laughter

From her own encounter and suffering with breast cancer, Dr. Thompson fashions a heartfelt, sharply-observed account of how her life changed for the better, and better doctoring. Her expertise in medicine is stretched to understand how to be a patient/doctor, and then movingly extends to her journey to learn and practice good connection with other patients. She's a beacon to her practice, her students, and her family. The book is a primer on empathy between doctor and patient. A vibrant, touching, honest work. --Samuel Shem, M.D., Professor of Medicine at NYU Medical School, author of The House of God and the upcoming sequel, Man's 4th Best Hospital This is a book in two conjoined parts by the author, a doctor, whose first response to the discovery of her breast cancer was shock, confusion, and fear. Oddly enough, that tumor discovery is the event (for a gifted mind and spirit such as hers) that allows her to provide the very best attention to her care, for both her patients and her teaching of younger doctors and medical students. She is, by her experience, the deeply understanding physician who seeks, as is evidenced during the second part of her story, to augment care of her patients by the most important tool any doctor can have: empathy. Empathy is not sympathy, nor 'niceness', nor even clinical excellence. It is, rather, the knowledge that whatever the patient is suffering can be recognized in a short sentence: 'It could be me' because, in fact, it was her. This book is well worth reading, not just for doctors and patients, but for all who care about the suffering of others. --Faith Fitzgerald, M.D., MACP, Professor of Medicine at UC-Davis and frequent contributor to On Being a Doctor, Annals of Internal Medicine How delightful it was for me, years after my breast cancer diagnosis, to read the words of a physician who walked the same path. Dr. Thompson's ability to successfully choreograph her profession, family, and provide self-care was beautifully displayed in With Mirth and Laughter. As an author, I admire Dr. Thompson's resolve and fervency to pen her experiences and touch the world in ways only she could. As a pastor, I especially applaud her open and bold expressions of faith in God that carried her through this challenge and still does to this day. For any patient, With Mirth and Laughter presents an opportunity to learn the arduous task of being a physician while wrestling with cancer. It was a reminder for me to lend compassion and patience in return to the health care professionals who so sincerely care, and who have their own stories. I highly recommend this read to all people whose world has been interrupted by cancer. You will be enlightened, encouraged and comforted. --Teresa E. Nelson, breast cancer survivor, Pastor of Tibbetts Brook Chapel and author of Tender Mercies for Tough Moments